Notes from FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Lessons from Lockdown with John Stevens and Ray Evans.

1. Lockdown has been a trial. Not of suffering and persecution but of difficulty and challenge. It has tested our leadership and faith. How are we to face this trial? In James 1:2-8 we see that we are to approach it a) with joy because God is working His purposes out; b) with humility as we recognise how lacking we are and cry out to God for the wisdom that we need for the challenges; c) with faith trusting that God will supply what we need.

2. Life is (more) full of decisions than ever. So much is happening that takes up our brain space. We are suffering from decision fatigue with lots of little decisions wearing us down. We are having to make decisions at a time when uncertainty, confusion and change abound plus we also can’t easily get together with others at the moment to make corporate decisions.

3. Our culture makes corporate decisions more difficult. The “What’s in it for me?” attitude can filter into the church making it harder to make decisions with a sense of how we can help one another.

4. Don’t confuse God’s secret will (what God knows) and revealed will (what God has told us in His Word). Respect this important Biblical distinction. Our primary role as leaders is to teach and model and live out the revealed will of God in His Word. But we are also to guide them in the secret will but pastoring and comforting them as they look back of what secret will is and by helping them to submit their hopes and dreams to the secret will,.

5. The story of change: Dream – Leap – Fight – Climb – Arrive (see Illuminate by Nancy Duarte & Patti Sanchez).

6. Understand whether the decision you are making is i) right or wrong; ii) wise or unwise (good, better, best); iii) like or dislike (preference). Problems come when life or dislike are turned into right or wrong.

7. Trust God for His kind providence. “If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” And be very prayerful.

8. You will have to make difficult decisions.

9. At times when we are really uncertain we need high quality team based decision making (HQTBDM).

10. Buckle up because the ’new normal’ or ‘return to normality’ doesn’t look like it is coming any time soon. The guidance for places of worship is unlikely to change in the short or medium term. The probablity is that it will be the “middle of next year” rather than “over by Christmas”.

11. Lockdown has made it clear that we are living in post-Christian and secular context with the church being marginalised more than we would like. Church just isn’t important to national life.

12. A time for humility ecclesiologically. Ways of doing church (online preaching, video preaching, multisite model) that we might have been critical of, we have or will have to use as an emergency measure. At the very least, this should cause those of us with strong views to show humility towards those who have different ones to us.

13. We have seen that Word-centred churches have been more likely to continue to thrive, as opposed to sacramental or social action churches.

14. The last four months have given leaders a new opportunity to understand the lives of others – the barriers people have to coming to church or engaging and participating in church programmes; the pressure on parents; the loneliness faced by elderly people.

15. Church has become more accessible for unbelievers. It is easy for them to join by clicking, leave by disconnecting, and overcome the embarrassment off feeling uncomfortable. But we don’t just want to get church to unbelievers – we want to get the gospel to them.

16. It is the churches that already were making an effort to engage with the community that have been able to capitalise on new opportunities.

17. There is an entropy of enthusiasm. People get excited and involved when new but once they get used to the online format enthusiasm has waned. We can expect that to happen with physical gatherings after they restart too.

18. The “Culture War” over identity, history, liberal progressive agenda vs nationalistic agenda, young v old will continue and get fiercer.

19. Initial spiritual openness has waned. We continue to minister in times of spiritual hardness.

20. Lockdown will produce social and cultural change. Working from home and the decline of the office; Smaller = more flexible/efficient; people not commuting into city centre but more residential based; woke authoritarianism or conservative authoritarianism?. These will have implication for churches.

21. The importance of deep relationships between members and a strong online presence (especially for those who can’t attend services) have been revealed by this period of lockdown.

22. Great idea from Ray Evans. Get members to complete sentence: “Even though… I am thankful for…”

23. A good Senior Leader gets other voices heard so have more insight.

24. Resilience and adaptability means in practice the capacity to cope with a crisis and to grasp the opportunities which a crisis presents. If you don’t have structures, systems, and people in place before the crisis you won’t be able to do it in a crisis.

Notes from FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Mental Health in Lockdown with Steve Midgley and Dan Steel.

1. We are living in a time of heightened anxiety. Anxiety for ourselves, our family, our loved ones, church and its future, our ministry, job security. The root of anxiety is that we are in a situation in which we are not in control and where there is a lack of certainty about the future.

2. Bible recognises that anxiety is part of life as a Christian in a fallen world. The answer to anxiety is faith. How do we deal with anxiety? Two comforting truth about God are that 1) His mighty hand and great power which raised Jesus from the dead can lift you up, maybe in this life but ultimately in eternity; 2) He cares for you and will carry your anxiety – we don’t need to take on burdens that are not ours to carry. Therefore, on a daily basis, we are to humble ourselves recognising our weakness and lack of power, and to cast our anxieties on Him.

3. It is not easy to know where the dividing line between mental health struggles and spiritual struggles is.

4. Why do we feel exhausted at the moment?  It is not just screen fatigue. It is decision fatigue. We are having to make decisions in territory where we don’t have expertise and from an unstable foundation.

5. On Zoom we are more likely to make ‘declarations’ rather than ‘conversation’. We make statements but don’t do much asking. We need to ask and listen harder to people’s answers. Everyone’s experience of lockdown will be different.

6. One disadvantage of church meetings being online is that we’ve lost the conversations that would have happened with people who arrived early for or hang around after the physical gatherings. We need to find ways to do this.

7. Be alert to trouble. If there were issues or struggles in relationships between lockdown, they have probably got worse.

8. Some antidotes for anxiety from Luke 12:1-34: a) Don’t be functional orphans (v30); b) Recognise your inability (v26); c) Worry about some bigger problems (v20-21); d) Fear God first (v5). Put our concerns into different frames of reference.

9. Not everyone will thrive doing spiritual life without the structure of the church’s communal life.

10. Move towards those who have mental health diagnosis and ask how you can help and support them, like you would with others who have medical diagnosis.

11. “Heroism, servanthood and wisdom get muddled sometimes.”

12. Questions to ask yourself: “Where is your anxiety?” “Where is your trouble?” “What’s written between your lines?” “Who are you talking to?”

13. Survey of how we are doing as a pastoral community reveals that most people want to give up on ministry some of the time. This is a recognition that ministry is hard. The main reasons for this are the overbearing nature of the workload, criticism (sheep bite), family impact, issues with other leaders, difficult pastoral situations (or a combination of them).

14. Whilst a lot are coping with pressure of ministry in lockdown by opening up to others, through healthy habits (running, walking), increased prayer and seeking the Lord, there are some who are self-medicating (alcohol) or who are just keeping going!

15. Lots of people in ministry do not have sufficient support.

16. One thing to come out the survey was a recognised need for a change in culture among those in ministry. For more gracious, vulnerable, honest (mostly) local gatherings where we ‘support’ rather than ‘compete’.

17. Do something fun every day.

Notes from FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Lockdown leadership that cares for women in church and ministry with Elinor Magowan and Elizabeth Smyth plus Q&A with two leaders of churches that reopened last Sunday and two that did not.

1. The apostle Paul instructs church leaders to care for the whole church (1 Timothy 5:1-2) by building up everyone in the faith through the gospel; to equip the whole church for ministry (Titus 2:1-9) so that the body is built up to be a holy and evangelistic community with members using their gifts to serve in varied ways; to teach and apply the whole Scriptures to the whole church (2 Timothy 3:15-16).

2. Clarifications on government guidance issued: a) Risk assessment changed to assess risk emphasising obligation under Health and Safety regulations; b) Children’s and youth work churches run needs to follow government guidance for children’s activities taking place outside formal education context; c) When gathering as a church participants are not to engage in conversation with others who come to worship (no social interaction with those from a different household).

3. Lockdown has presented a variety of challenges for ministry wives: 1) Loss – of community, of structure to the day, of meeting people, of identity; 2) Insecurity – watching husbands struggle being videoed on camera, how to serve; 3) False guilt – not being busy in way they usually would be, feeling inhospitable because not able to do hospitality as usually would; 4) Personal struggles – if shielding, caring for children with special needs, caring for elderly parents; 5) Complexities in church life – conflict, difficult pastoral issues, complaints of members.

4. The challenges facing ministry wives can be blessings with trials becoming opportunities to draw closer to Jesus, greater family time with husbands not being out at meetings, more relaxed Sundays (if pre-recorded), opportunity to refocus on family responsibilities like support husband or caring for children, join in with ministries online.

5. The journey out of lockdown provides an opportunity to re-evaluate and re-structure ministries.

6. Four key pressures women’s workers have faced during lockdown: 1) Isolation – from normal ministry life, from other church staff, from usual contacts; 2) Invisibility – invisible to church (unlike the pastor who is seen in online services) and invisibility of the church (pastoral care more difficult); 3) Interaction – lack of interaction and the buzz of seeing God’s Word doing its work in the lives of other women; 4) Intensity – outside of comfort zone, lockdown makes pastoral needs more complicated, social needs in community, a whole day on Zoom is exhausting, stress of using technology, those single feel singleness more.

7. Ways to support women’s worker include make sure regular communication, praying for and with them, giving them confirmation that their ministry is valued, involving them in church’s online meeting, commending their ministry to the church (like Paul does in Romans 16), and encouraging ministry friendships outside the church.

8. Women’s workers of FIEC churches have testified to unexpected opportunities that have come to them and to God’s faithfulness to them during this time of lockdown.

9. During the summer months where some people in the church will be able to get away on holiday, don’t forget to support those in the church who are shielding.

10. Summer holidays have come at the wrong time with churches coming out of lockdown. Recognising people in church are exhausted and need a break/holiday is a good reason not to rush to hold services or to do all that was done before lockdown.

11. A challenge of the hybrid model (live and livestreaming) is that it difficult to do the service to camera if there is a congregation attending. It might mean having to decide whether to direct the service to camera or people present. One option is to do the service for the live congregation but to acknowledge those streaming in.

12. One option now available is for two households to watch the livestream service together.

13. No social interaction and not raising voices above conversational level effectively advices churches against holding prayer meetings and home groups in church buildings.

14. To be able to pray, hear Scripture read publicly and a sermon preached, and celebrate the Lord’s Supper with other brothers and sisters is significant.

15. Each church will have to work out whether benefits of restricted gatherings outweigh the benefits of online gatherings.

Notes from an FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on The Journey out of Lockdown with John Stevens and a panel discussion with Spencer Shaw, Mark Lawrence, and Paul Gamston.

1. On the issue of churches reopening after lockdown different church leaders will come to different conclusions. We need to adopt a Christlike attitude in how we relate to one another.

2. Coming out of lockdown will be more difficult than going into lockdown.

3. A Christlike mindset is an others-centred mindset. Some churches will return to meeting quickly because members are feeling the loss of community. Other may delay because the members are afraid. A Christlike attitude in how we relate to one another will mean forgoing our rights for the sake of serving others like Philippians 2 tells us Christ Jesus did.

4. A big concern should be our witness to the watching world and the community we are in.

5. Government guidance update:
– Need to undertake a formal risk assessment to ensure the building is COVID-secure.
– No limits on numbers at services but for weddings the maximum attendance is 30.
– Strict adherence to social distancing is required (2m unless impossible).
– No congregational singing. A soloist is allowed if essential to the act of worship, but that is not generally the case in FIEC churches.
– Services should be as short as possible with the assumption that everyone leaves immediately the service is finished.
– Avoid baptism by immersion because of the quantity of water involved.
– For creche and Sunday School, guidance for schools and childcare settings needs to be adhered to.
– For Lord’s Supper – no common cup; no speaking directly over bread and wine.
– Advice is for congregation to bring their own books or if not to quarantine books for 48 hours.
– Avoid cash collections or single receptacle and quarantine.
– The Baptist Union has advice and risk assessment template that is helpful for FIEC churches.

6. Behind the guidance given by the government for places of worship is a) public health concern – rules applied are not intrinsically different to other sectors of the community and other service providers; b) places of worship are ‘particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19’ based on evidence from UK and around the world; c) particular concern for over 70s and those shielding; d) track and trace to prevent localised spikes.

7. In the guidance given there is little in terms of mandatory legal requirements. There are mandatory legal requirements of risk assessment and for handling food (Lord’s Supper). Everything else is ‘advice’ or ‘strongly advised’ and put in language of ‘should do’ not ‘must do’. Government is trusting that churches act in a way that is wise and safe. But government does expect churches to fully implement all of the guidance meaning that advised or strongly advised is not optional or voluntary.

8. How will government guidance be enforced? I) Criminal or civil liability of trustees if they ignore the mandatory or strong advice; ii) It is a criminal offence to fail to manage health and safety ‘so far as is reasonably practical’; iii) Is it COVID-secure to defy government advice or strong advice? Iv) Risk of being uninsured if advice is ignored; v) Local authority enforcement action for breaches of health and safety and there will be spot checks.

9. FIEC’s position is that all churches ought to implement government advice.

10. The ban on singing might change in due course in light of subsequent evidence.

11. There is the possibility of restrictions being further loosened or tightened depending on what happens with the infection rate.

12. Just because churches are allowed to meet together from July 4 doesn’t mean they should.

13. Publish the risk assessment on the church website.

14. There will be a diversity of approaches to holding services. One church is running multiple services with those for adults and children over 11 only and those for families with children under 14 (children must remain with their parents). For another church, the first step might be to have the church as a ‘Zoom’ screen for their online service.

15. Adhering to 2m social distancing is crucial. Rows of chair 2m apart. One way system into building. If handwashing not easily possible, have antibacterial gel at entrance. After service, stagger leaving and encourage people to leave building and premises. Churches will need to decide how heavily this will need to be policed – by a steward, signage, or announcements to congregation.

16. Keep list of everyone who attends services for 21 days.

17. Varied picture on how soon those who rent premises will be able to meet. Demands made by owners of the building might be narrower and tighter than government requires.

18. General consensus is that running creche or Sunday School at the moment is too much. Have pods available for parents to take children to might be an option if space.

19. Over 70s are discouraged from coming to church at the moment by the government. We need to respect that. Yet we also want to treat them as adults by making this clear to them and then letting them take responsibility for the decision they make. Another reason why it is important to have in place proper social distancing rules.

20. People need to be told if they are on camera if live-streaming the service from the church.

21. Have members of the church who are ready to go home if guests turn up for the service so that you don’t need to turn them away.

22. Ensure the front row of the church is not too close to the lectern to reduce the danger cause by voice projection. Congregational corporate prayer poses a risk.

23. Likelihood is that guidance will be in place for as long as guidance is in place for pubs and restaurants.

Notes from an FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Leadership through Lockdown in deprived communities with Andy Constable, Stephen Kneale and Ian Williamson plus extra Q+A with John Stevens about relaxation of lockdown restrictions.

1. The headlines from the latest advice regarding lockdown (in England):
– Weddings (both religious and civil) allowed from 4 July with maximum of 30 attendees – this is better than was anticipated.
– Places of worship can reopen from 4 July. There is much uncertainty about this as we wait for government guidance to be published (see questions below). The expectation is that church will need to be COVID secure.
– Unclear whether maximum of 30 attendees applies only to weddings or to church services also.
– There is uncertainty about what guidance will be legal obligation, strong advice, and advice. Trustees will need to undertake a risk assessment. Clarity is needed with regards to insurance and liability.
– Congregational singing is unlikely to be permitted.
– Social distancing ideally will need to be 2m, but if 1m+ other mitigations will likely need to be put in place (e.g. masks, screens).
– Two households can gather indoors together which opens up the possibility of two households watching the online service together.
– Restrictions for outdoor gatherings remains unchanged which prevents open air services of more than 6 people or 2 households.
– Government policy is to not lay down rules for everything, opting for advice over law. This will make it difficult for churches to know with certainty what they can and can’t do. Care will be needed because of insurance implications.
– Check out the helpful document from GAFCAN.

2. Questions still needing to be answered.
– Will preaching need to take place behind a screen? Government is concerned about the spread of the virus by projected voices. Amplification through PA system rather than by voice might be the solution.
– What about Sunday School, Creche, parent and toddler groups etc? There will be issues regarding cleaning (note soft play areas are closed); social distancing.
– What about collections involving handling of cash? Collection may require being left for 72 hours before handled.
– What about running multiple services? Questions regarding cleaning and the length of time gap between services.
– When will guidance be issued? Don’t know.
– Can elders meet in church buildings? Guidance about use of offices might be instructive. 6 elders can social distance in garden. Another possibility is zoom meetings with two elders together.
– Use of church buildings during the week? Expectation is guidance given won’t be limited to Sunday only. Key will be ensuring all activities are COVID safe.
– Outdoor large gatherings? Currently not allowed. Drive-In churches are different.
– Car parks and gardens on church premises and owned by the church are regarded as the place of worship.
– What about transporting people to church? ?
– Track and Trace Implications? This could mean church activities being shut down for 14 days if whole church gathering is forced to self-isolate.
– What about churches that rent properties? They are in the hands of their providers. Some providers have already made clear that they are not accepting booking before January 2021. Churches with buildings might choose to show gospel generosity and allow other churches to use their buildings when they are not.
– What about Lord’s Supper? Waiting for guidance that covers the use of food. Food may need to be individually packaged.
– Use of toilets? Likely to be same rules as pubs and other hospitality venues. Cleaning between individuals, social distance queues. This will likely impact how a church decides to meet.
– When to begin meeting again? A decision for every church to make. Risk assessment will need to be in place. It will not be the same as it was. Do we want to gather with social distancing, limitations regarding who we can connect with, no congregational singing? Do we want to divide the church into who can come and who can’t come?

3. The concern among God’s people in the Old Testament and the work of the Spirit in the New Testament is the practice of generous giving by believers so there is equality. Paul words in 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 are to encourage the church in Corinth to be generous. Pointing to the Macedonian church whose giving was generous, supremely modelled on the Lord Jesus, and whose goal was equality. This kind of giving is not charity but doing justice. They weren’t giving to do God a favour or people a favour, but because it was doing what is right. Desire that FIEC churches show genuine fellowship by giving to one another.

4. What are some of the challenges of lockdown being faced by churches in deprived communities? Mental health issues exacerbated by lockdown removing structures usually in place; loneliness; single parents struggling to educate their children; fear and anxiety about catching the disease; missing physical connection of community. Observation that issues more social than financial.

5. What are some of the gospel opportunities lockdown has opened up? Engage community out in front gardens and out and about in neighbourhood; provide care packages for those shielding; online Bible studies in groups or 121; people tuning into livestream who wouldn’t usually come to church such as unbelieving family members.

6. What are big needs? Prayer, Money, People. Finances keep the first generation of church planters/staff going, but people (esp. lay elders) are needed if they work is going to continue after that.

Notes from an FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Keeping Evangelism Central During Lockdown with Jeremy Marshall and Mike Kendall.

1. Check out on the FIEC website a video interview with Andrew Gordon and Raymond Brown on Race and the Evangelical Church.

2. Expectation is that there will be some news for churches with regards to the relaxation of lockdown restrictions. Unless restrictions are re-imposed due to the R-rate going up, it appears this could go in one of two directions. Either gatherings for corporate worship will be allowed provided social distancing and cleaning is in place and without any singing or gatherings for only specific types of services (marriages, funerals, ordinations, naming ceremonies etc). The hesitation is caused by the evidence from around the world that places of worship are centres from where the virus spreads.

3. Why are we ashamed of the gospel? i) External pressure comes from the culture which sees the gospel message about rescue from the wrath to come, that we are sinners needing to be forgiven as unacceptable. ii) Internal doubt comes from seeing little fruit in terms of conversions. With all the effort put into evangelism by 600+ FIEC churches, not a huge number of conversions have been seen over last year, and often they are concentrated in particular locations.

4. How do we counter our shame? i) Live by faith in God’s Word. We need to believe and trust what God says about the gospel. ii) Trust in God’s sovereign purposes. We pray, preach, proclaim but God is sovereign in salvation.

5. It appears people have been more open to the gospel in the last 3 months than they have since then end of World War 2. They are afraid of dying, and the daily death toil announcement reminds them of the reality of death. We have a great opportunity to talk about hope in the face of death.

6. Technology gives non-Christians a chance to check out church in an anonymous way. When church returns to normal, don’t give up on technology. Consider a hybrid model for evangelistic events.

7. Interview format works well for online evangelism. It makes it easy for those tuning in to understand and follow and is enhanced by getting questions from those who are watching. Use Zoom with live feed onto YouTube and Facebook.

8. Think about follow up: What is the next step? Word 121? Christianity Explored?

9. Important that we keep the gospel central and evangelism a priority in lockdown.

10. Big jump from watching a service online to signing up for a course.

11. Work hard at making Sunday services accessible.

12. Consider running an online events week. Release a series of videos during the week: Lunchtime 5-7 minutes apologetic talk; Evening – 10 minutes interviews with members of the church family with some link to the apologetic talk.

13. Encourage members of the church to share links to videos and services on social media.

14. In preaching give applications to non-Christians and when we pray together give time to praying for non-Christians.

15. If we are not living godly lives, we undermine the gospel. John Newton: “The world will judge more by what they see in you, than by what they hear from me.”

16. When sharing Christian stuff on social media post really short videos – 2-3 minutes long max.

17. Three questions to initiate personal evangelism: Do you have any particular beliefs? Have you ever read the Bible? Would you like to look at the Bible with me?

18. Most non-Christians in UK are more likely to be ignorant of the gospel than anti-gospel.

19. When stop asking for opportunities to share the gospel, they are less likely to come, or you are less likely to be aware of them.

Notes from a really useful FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Self Care and Soul Care in a Lengthy Lockdown with Johnny Prime and Ste Casey.

1. The Lord’s shepherd needs the Lord to shepherd him. We need to see ourselves first as sheep who need to be shepherded by the Lord. The Lord will refresh, guide, protect, defeat and bring him safely into His eternal dwelling and will do the same for us.

2. The Lord’s people need us to shepherd them. We are to shepherd God’s people the way He shepherds us. Being shepherded by the Lord is what enables us to be under-shepherds of the Lord.

3. It is not selfish to look after our own health as we seek to serve God’s people.

4. Remember we are whole people. We can’t partition our lives into spiritual, physical, mental, emotional etc. We need basic things: sleep, day off, holidays, balanced diet, exercise, routine, and normal interactions. Plan a whole day off each week and plan to take holiday even during lockdown.

5. Remember the priority of godliness. Godliness involves looking up to God in faith and looking forward with hope whereas worldliness involves looking in at self and looking only at the now. Godliness trumps everything else in value because it equips us in every way enabling us to live with a healthy perspective.

6. Our hope is not that our routine will be returned but that the Lord Jesus will complete His work of beautifying His bride for all eternity.

7. Remember we are in a spiritual battle. Sinful desires war against our souls daily. The devil is looking to devour us. We are not promised any let up in the battle this side of the new creation. We need to keep in step with the Spirit and put on the full armour of God.

8. Remember that we are not the Lord Jesus. We are the under-shepherds of a local flock not the great shepherd of the whole flock. He laid down His life for them, gives eternal life to them, keeps them secure in His hands, and is with them always as they walk through dark times. We are not.

9. We are not fixers but entrusters and we are to help the sheep to entrust themselves to the great shepherd. The eternal well-being of the sheep is not down to me.

10. Remember the need for input from others. To sustain output we need input. Godly self care means we need to receive godly input from others. The danger for us is only being givers not receivers.

11. Contact a fellow pastor and suggest a video swap to give a breather for a week and allow you to sit under another’s preaching.

12. Key part of godly self-care is not forgetting that we are weak and will always be weak, but we have a mighty Saviour who helps us as we look to Him. To weak people, the Lord Jesus says, “For I am the LORD your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel. I will help you”—this is the LORD’s declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” Godly self-care means trusting the Lord God who cares for us and entrusting ourselves to His care.

13. Uncertainty is taking its toll. It is exhausting. Emotions are running high. Existing struggles seen to be exacerbated.

14. Uncertainty reveals the heart. The human props of certainty have been kicked out from under us. We clamour for certainty, security, predictability, and control.

15. Uncertainty crowds out the Lord. Painful trials preoccupy us – dominate our thinking. Loss of good things (removal of a good blessing from the Lord which is meaningful and precious in our lives) creates grief. When we spend time wishing what could have been, predicting the future and planning for it, or just doing something, the Lord can so easily slip out of sight. We need to remind our people of the presence and reality of the living God.

16. Uncertainty confronts us with reality. “We all live on the ragged edge of any number of disasters: a cancer diagnosis, the death of a child, a senseless attack, a fire, a flood.” We are presented with the reality that we are not God.

17. Uncertainty creates soul care opportunity. The blessings of the ‘normal’ can be celebrated.

18. Andrew Murrray: “At our first entrance into the school of waiting upon God, the heart is mainly set on the blessings which we wait for. God graciously uses our needs and desires for help to educate us for something higher than we were thinking of. We were seeking gifts; He, the Giver, longs to give Himself and to satisfy the soul with His goodness. It is just for this reason that He often withholds the gifts, and that the time of waiting is made so long. He is constantly seeking to win the heart of His child for Himself. He wishes that we would not only say, when He bestows the gift, “How good is God!” but that long before it comes, and even if it never comes, we should all the time be experiencing: it is good that a man should quietly wait. “The Lord is good unto them that wait for him.”

19. Follow up “How are you?” with another question, like “How are you really?” or “With what’s going on with you, tell us your best and worst over the last few days?” or “How are current times affecting your walk with the Lord?” Not to give advice but to go to the Lord with.

20. The Lord knows we are feeble. Accepting that is an act of faith.

Notes from a really useful FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Marriage during a Lengthy Lockdown with John Stevens and Paul Mallard.

1. Human marriage is a pattern and picture of the relationship of Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:25-33). Jesus loves His church by giving Himself for her to redeem and rescue her. Jesus cleanses His church to make her pure and spotless. Jesus cares for His church by provide all His body needs. Human marriage is to remind us of the love and cleansing and care Jesus has for His church.

2. The current lockdown situation raises a number of challenges including uncertainty (about what we are allowed to do; what the guidance and rules mean in practice), disagreements (over speed of lockdown relaxing, between press and commentators; those who are cautious and those who are not); diversity (different rules within parts of UK); inequality (certain groups feeling it is not fair they are penalised by restrictions while other are not); frustration (churches not open, not being heard).

3. At present places of worship remain shut until at least 4 July (then opening most likely for private prayer only). But with up to 6 people allowed to meet in public/private gardens provided they remain 2m apart in England, some small gatherings and pastoral visitation is now possible.

4. Precise timings of further relaxation is hard to predict with future speed and guidance dependent on effect of recent changes. Still looking to be a long time before opening of churches for congregational worship services.

5. Even though the government has been lobbied extensively and repeatedly to allow marriages attended by small groups, they have not listened to the case put to them. Legal marriages are still prohibited. It is hoped that after 4 July marriages attended by very small groups might be permitted.

6. In the meantime, should churches adopt a marriage “in the eyes of God” approach? As marriage is a creational ordinance of God and not subject to state control, churches do have the right to decide whether to do this and independent churches have the right to make their own decision regarding this matter. It is a wisdom issue, but remember, just because it is permissible doesn’t mean it is beneficial.

7. Some reasons to be cautious about going down the “in the eyes of God” route.
a) Our witness to the state and wider community. The state does currently recognise and make provision for Christian marriage and we want to honour and encourage that.
b) Our relationship with other churches. Not every church will recognise marriage in the eyes of God as an actual marriage.
c) Our model to other believers. What message about marriage are we communicating to them?
d) Our attitude to sexual abstinence. It is possible for them to wait for short while longer.
It is worth noting that marriage in the eyes of God gives no protection to either party if one was to walk out on the marriage (no legal divorce would be needed).
FIEC advice is in most situations to not go down this route because it is only a relatively short period of time that marriages are not be able to take place.

8. However, we may need to make provision for pastoral emergencies, such as mental health problems, terminally ill etc.

9. If a church was to decide to marry “in the eyes of God” there need to make sure the marriage is a public covenant; that what is happening is explained to the congregation and why; everyone understands that this is not a legal marriage; and they require the couple to have a legal marriage at the earliest opportunity.

10. Ten ways we can care for marriages during lockdown: i) Be realistic; ii) Give people permission to talk; iii) Don’t postpone addressing the issues; iv) Pray; v) Preach; vi) Adapt your counselling process; vii) Make use of the skills of others; viii) Consider an adapted marriage refreshment course; ix) Communicate; x) Be on your guard.

11. Marriage is hard work at any time. Two sinners are in close proximity. It is always difficult to build a good, godly marriage. Lockdown exposes faults and cracks in the marriage that are there. Three areas to watch: a) Family – worry about relatives who are high risk, kids going stir crazy; b) Finances – jobs loss, uncertainty about future; c) Sex – loss of privacy, boredom and stress feed into pornography which damages marriages.

12. We minister into demanding relationships and out of demanding relationship. Watch your own marriage.

Notes from an excellent FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Word and Sacrament in Lockdown with John Stevens, Julian Hardyman and Matt Lillycrap.

1. We are a pilgrim people making a journey through the wilderness from our redemption to our entrance to eternal life in the new creation. It is an arduous journey in a hostile environment. Do we have the resources to make it through the wilderness? Yes, our God has provided for us.

2. God meets our needs in the person of the Lord Jesus Himself, the bread of life. He is all we need to get to our destination. We need to feast on His propitiatory sacrifice. To share in and benefit from His sacrifice on behalf of His people. True saving faith will always be continuously exercised.

3. Word and Sacrament, Preaching and Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the means through which God’s people feed on Christ and His sacrifice. Hearing the spoken gospel word and seeing the visible gospel word help our congregation feed on Christ.

4. Our responsibility is to distribute to the people what God has provided for them. Our work of preaching and administering the sacraments or ordinances is the way we feed God’s people with what He has provided so they can make it to the Promised Land.

5. We are experiencing a kind of out of season preaching (2 Timothy 4:2) where it is hard for preacher and hearer. The task remains the same. Our people continue to need correcting, rebuking, strengthening, comforting, encouraging by the Word. Be prepared to preach the word out of season.

6. Online preaching is not the same as preaching in real life. Online preaching is clearly going to be important in the interim and it is for us.

7. People are experiencing our preaching mediated in a different way. “Embrace the medium.”

8. When preaching online, think about where you look. Look at the lens (not the screen). Let the lens look at you (between eye and mouth level is a must). Look away from the lens (otherwise you will come across as too intense).

9. Sound is important.

10. Speak to people. We are talking to people, not just a machine. Remember they are in a different situation to normal as well. They are in their front room not as part of a crowd.

11. Watch the comparison game. We preach for an audience of one. We preach for God’s glory above all else.

12. Consider preaching shorter sermons. Consider preaching shorter texts. Make sure you apply.

13. Preaching isn’t the same, but the people are. They know you. They love you. They know that you love them. The pastoral relationship is still their even if you struggle with the tech. You will be feeding them. You will be preaching the word to them out of season.

14. When it comes to administering the sacraments in a lengthy lockdown, there will be a diversity of views within FIEC, and maybe within our church leadership and our congregations.

15. It is worth considering our current practice. What do you do? Why do you do it? Who has authority to administer them? How important is it that they are done as a church together as a whole?

16. What are your biblical convictions? There is a difference between convictions that are absolute (sinful to do or not do); ideal (in changed circumstances is something else permissible); pragmatic (what could we change if circumstances change); and tradition (things we’ve got used to).

17. Baptism is essentially individual, but we treat it as corporate. Lord’s Supper is essentially corporate, but we treat it as individual.

18. On this issue of whether to administer the sacraments online, we may feel more personally constrained than the freedom the gospel allows.

19. It is vital we consider our congregation. Will what we do edify and unify? What will be lost by not celebrating the sacraments or by celebrating them online? What will be gained by doing this in a different way?

20. Do not condemn those who take a different view to you in good conscience. Do not look down on those who don’t think they are free in the gospel to act in this way. Do not destroy others for the sake of your freedoms. Do not make a decision on the basis of human approval or disapproval.

21. Here is an opportunity to reconsider and reaffirm your ecclesiology. Especially the place and importance of the physical gathering.

22. If you decide to administer the Lord’s Supper virtually, use a platform that maximises opportunity to be present and by which you get a sense of the corporate body. In this, Zoom is more communal than YouTube.

Here are 26 things I noted down from the FIEC Online Local Conference on Leadership and Legacy with talks from Johnny Prime on ‘A Leadership Legacy to Imitate’ from Hebrews 13:7, and from John Stevens on ‘A Leadership Legacy to Avoid’ from 1 Peter 5:1-4.

1. Hebrews contains words of exhortation designed to keep us going as disciples of the Lord Jesus.

2. Deliberately thinking about the legacy of former Christian leaders will encourage us to persevere.

3. Leadership in the church is uniquely leadership by speaking the Word of God.

4. The Word of God which leaders spoke to us is the message of salvation in the Lord Jesus that we are to put our faith in, persevere in, must not drift from, and be encouraged by. Remembering involves thinking about the significance and implications of what the leaders did – their faithfulness in speaking the Word of God in spite of the pressure around them not to.

5. Make a list of those leaders who spoke the Word of God to you. Those who pleaded with you passionately to trust in the Lord Jesus and follow Him wholeheartedly.

6. Consider means looking at what they taught and how they lived. Consider those who were completers – running with perseverance the race marked out for them, throwing off sins that so easily entangle, fixing their eyes on Jesus.

7. We are to persevere by faith not by sight. But we benefit from and are inspired by real life examples of those who persevered by faith.

8. You are impoverished if you don’t read biographies, especially of those like Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

9. Imitating leaders does not mean idolising them or putting them on a pedestal or doing everything they did like they did. All Christians leaders have flaws. It is their faith in Jesus and hope in Him that we are to imitate.

10. Human leaders are always replaced; Jesus is never replaced. Pastors are only temporary; Jesus is always Head of the church.

11. We are legacy receivers and also legacy givers.

12. Leaders who didn’t persevere are examples to avoid and not follow. Yet we can remember what they taught us about Jesus and remember that it is faith in Him not the leaders that keeps us going.

13. The Bible warns against the danger of abuse in ministry. It is vital that this warning is heeded because leaders 1) are given authority over the church; 2) minister to vulnerable people in the congregation; and 3) have experience and theological understanding that can impress or intimidate younger Christians.

14. Abuse happens because of the reality of sin.

15. In Christian ministry there are false pastors who deliberately set out to abuse and there are fallen pastors who don’t fight sin and give into the temptation to abuse.

16. Culture is challenging us to recognise abuse in pastoral ministry. Culture wants to expose, punish, and prevent abuse. It is essential that every church has a safeguarding policy in place.

17. Covering abuse up prioritises the reputation of the church over care for victims.

18. Spiritual abuse describes something the Bible condemns – the misuse of power in pastoral office or in the language of 1 Peter 5, lording it over others. Examples of this include exercising coercive control over others; bullying; offering friendship and closeness and threatening to withdraw it if don’t comply; strong control over congregation’s lives – where live, who marry, whether they should go into ministry; adopting absolute insistence on issues not laid down in Scripture e.g. home-schooling, dress code for church, dating rules; believing they are above contradiction; not allowing people to disagree or reject counsel. In the past this would have been called heavy shepherding.

19. Ordinary Biblical counselling is not spiritual abuse.

20. We need to guard against abuse. This will involve guarding our hearts (fighting sin fiercely, scrutinising our motives, following Jesus’ example), guarding our teaching (abusive teaching makes wisdom and opinion the word of God, making our opinions law for their lives), guarding our practices (in personal discipleship of others meet in public places at sensible times for limited duration; share pastoral care with others). If we recognise the tendency in our lives, we must get help.

21. Take abuse of all kinds seriously. It damages churches, dishonours Christ, and harms victims.

22. Pastors need other leaders to whom they will submit to. The danger is that we read Hebrews 13:17 and think that it does not apply to us. It is an instruction to all believers. I need to submit to my fellow leaders in the church.

23. “Omissions make way for commissions.” I am most in danger of doing what God calls me not to do, when I fail to positively obey what God calls me to do.

24. If we don’t actively obey 2 Timothy 2:2 we are in danger of saying it is all about me.

25. None of us are sufficient for the task but we have a God who equips (Hebrews 13:20-21). Our God is an expert in making us fit to do all He calls us to do.

26. How can we leave a right legacy to pass onto the next generation? Only as He equips us to.

Notes from an excellent FIEC Leadership in Lockdown webinar on Leading through a Lengthy Lockdown with John Stevens and Spencer Shaw.

1. God’s timing is not our timing. In Daniel 9, Daniel has been reading the prophet Jeremiah, and learns that the exile is going to last 70 years, which meant it was nearing its end. Daniel prays that God would keep His covenant promises. God responds by sending additional revelation. At the end of 70 years, Israel will return to the land, but the exile won’t be over. There will be a longer time until restoration, however God will accomplish His sovereign purposes in His own timing. So, Daniel needs to keep trusting God’s sovereign plan, and so do we, as this lockdown goes on longer than we might like it to.

2. The earliest that churches in England will be able to re-open is July 4th. It could be the end of the year before we will be able to physically gather as before.

3. Don’t respond to this lengthy lockdown with resentment. It is easy to become frustrated or angry that we can’t meet.

4. The need to respond with realism. Realism about the length of the lockdown; the challenges associated with reopening; why churches are not a higher priority; why churches are treated like entertainment and hospitality venues rather than shops and garden centres; that church gatherings have been responsible for spreading the virus; and about the possibility of changing the governments mind.

5. Current regulations will make it difficult to gather even if the lockdown rules are relaxed. Requirements regarding social distancing, masks, singing, and deep cleaning will need to be considered. It possible that churches might have difficulties with hiring buildings.

6. Could it be that our current virtual gatherings may achieve more in practice, than restarting physical gatherings with restrictions are able to?

7. Recognise that breaking the rules or treating them casually is serious. There are legal risks – fines, civil liability (if negligent or reckless), and insurance issues. There are reputational risks – public reaction if we break rules and people get ill or die.

8. How should we respond at this time? Submit and respect (Romans 13). Explain the situation to the church and plan accordingly. Make representation to government in a way that is both polite and understanding of the governments’ dilemma. Be aware that refusing to comply risks tighter and longer lockdown. Most of all, give thanks for what we can do as churches; God’s Word has not been chained and we have been able to disciple, teach, and encourage our congregations.

9. We should assume that social distancing will be the new normal until next year.

10. Think about the benefits of the good things your church did prior to the lockdown. Is there any way to achieve the equivalent benefit?

11. If online is going to be the new normal for the foreseeable future, it will require greater investment in money and equipment, people who are involved, and maybe even appointing an online deacon.

12. What is our building capacity with social distancing? What will the implications of this be – multiple services, how to seat people, room for guest?

13. Areas of church life that will need to be considered once we are allowed to gather again on Sundays – stewarding; seating; creche; Sunday School; music and singing; baptism; Lord’s Supper; refreshments; church lunches; cleaning (between services).

14. Do we keep our midweek prayer meeting online once lockdown is over?

15. How do we communicate the importance of physical meeting together, especially as people increasingly get used to meeting online?

16. This is an opportunity to consider what barriers have been stopping people from gathering physically, but which don’t need to be overcome online.

17. The need to say, “I don’t know” (because we don’t know) to many of the church’s questions rather than speculating.